Rates have generally been higher in 2017, a year projected by many to be a year of beginning recovery – but a decline since the boom in the spring has curbed the budding optimism. And this could be a good thing, says J.P. Morgan.

Analyst firm Clarksons believes that "unabated optimism" in the dry bulk market earlier in 2017 has been replaced by more uncertainty and falling dry cargo values. Nevertheless, the analyst firm does not see cause for concern.

Friday brought yet another sign of an improving dry bulk market. With a seven percent increase, the Baltic Dry Index has crossed the magical 1,000 point threshold and has thus reached the highest level noted in 15 months.

The stock exchange in Singapore is spending GBP 87 million to take over the Baltic Dry index, a 272-year-old financial institution. The deal has been long underway, and must first gain final approval from the British financial authorities.